Overview
Director of Commercial – 5* Hotel Jobs in Al Khobar, Eastern, Saudi Arabia at Cornerstone Global Partners MENA
Title: Director of Commercial – 5* Hotel
Company: Cornerstone Global Partners MENA
Location: Al Khobar, Eastern, Saudi Arabia
My client is a high-end operator, and the role will be based in Al Khobar, KSA. Only candidates with GCC experience will be considered for this role.
The Director of Commercial is responsible for leading all commercial strategy and performance. This role will drive sales, marketing, revenue generation, and positioning, with a strong focus on hotel openings, market entry, and brand establishment.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on commercial leader with proven sales expertise, experience opening hotels, and a strong understanding of luxury hospitality, group and transient sales, and restaurant-driven revenue.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Commercial Strategy & Leadership
• Develop and execute an integrated commercial strategy for both hotels, aligned with brand
standards and ownership objectives
• Lead pre-opening and post-opening commercial efforts, including market positioning, account
acquisition, and brand awareness
• Act as the senior commercial liaison between ownership, brand, and on-property teams
Sales & Business Development
• Drive corporate, leisure, group, and entertainment sales across both properties
• Personally cultivate and manage key accounts and strategic relationships
• Identify new market opportunities locally, nationally, and internationally
• Lead RFP processes and negotiate commercial agreements
Restaurant & Lifestyle Revenue
• Collaborate closely with restaurant and operations teams to maximize restaurant sales, private
dining, events, and lifestyle-driven revenue
• Support marketing and sales initiatives that integrate hotel and restaurant offerings
Marketing & Positioning
• Oversee marketing strategy, including digital, PR, partnerships, and local activations
• Ensure strong local relevance in the market while maintaining global brand consistency
Team Leadership
• Lead and mentor on-property sales and marketing teams
• Establish performance goals, KPIs, and accountability across the cluster
Financial Performance
• Deliver budgeted revenue, ADR, and market share goals
• Analyze performance data and adjust strategies to optimize results
CANDIDATE PROFILE
Required
• Proven experience as a Director of Commercial, Sales & Marketing or similar senior-level role
• Demonstrated success in opening hotels or leading major re-positionings
• Strong sales leadership background with a hands-on, results-driven approach
• Fluency in English and market language (written and spoken)
• Solid understanding of luxury hospitality markets in the region
Highly Desirable
• Experience working with boutique or lifestyle luxury brands
• Strong knowledge of restaurant sales, private dining, and experiential revenue
• Existing network in the market
• Currently based in market or willing to relocate immediately
System Knowledge
• Property Management System (PMS) – Oracle Cloud version
• Revenue Management System and Reporting Platform (RMS) – IDeas
• Rate Shopping – Lighthouse
• Demand 360 and Agency 360
• Image portal – Ice Portal/Shiji
• Reputation Management – Revinate
• Groups/Sales and Catering platform – Amadeus (Delphi)
• Client Relationship Management system (CRM) – Cendyn
